Rack



Sept. 6, 1966 E. c. KARP 3,270,890

RACK

Filed Aug. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l TTTW my ISH INVENTOR.

Sept. 6, 1966 E. c. KARP 3,270,890

2 $heets$heet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1964 I NVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,270,890 RACK Edward C. Karp, Belvidere, 11]., assignor to Sanitary Scale Company, Belvidere, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 391,991 Claims. (Cl. 211-58) This invention relates in general to the storage of insert elements for a device designed to utilize one or more of a multitude of elements. It deals specifically with the storage of a plurality of commodity information slugs for a weighing-computing-printing scale complex.

Pre-packaging of commodities has become increasingly popular in recent years; particularly with large grocery chains. To make such pro-packaging truly economical, a number of weighing-computing-printing scale complexes have been devised. They automatically weigh a commodity portion, compute its price based on the weight determined and a unit price factor pre-set into the computer component, and print a label for the packaged commodity. The label conventionally includes information as to the type and grade of the commodity, its price per pound (unit), weight, and calculated price.

In such a pre-packaging operation it will be recognized that many different types and grades of commodities are ordinarily handled; particularly in the case of meats. In the meat pre-packaging operation of a large grocery store, for example, hundreds of different combinations of meat types and grades must be suitably labeled with indicia of type, grade, unit price, and calculated portion price. This indicia is customarily printed on a suitable label by the printing component responsive to the information provided by the computing component of the complex.

The printing component or printer ordinarily incorporates self-contained apparatus for printing digits to indicate price and weight figures, as well as indicia of pounds, ounces, dollars, and cents. Necessarily, however, the printer is adapted to receive replaceable insert elements or commodity information slugs carrying information as to the type and grade of commodity being packaged. These slugs might number in the hundreds since each identifies only one type or grade (or type and grade), of course.

With so many slugs required for full-range utilization of a weighing-computing-printing scale complex, such as hereinbefore described, their storage and accessibility become a significant factor in the efficient utilization of the complex.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved arrangement for securely storing commodity information elements or slugs in readily accessible relationship.

It is another object to provide a slug storage rack which is modular in construction so as to be readily adaptable to small systems utilizing a minimal number of slugs or large systems using a much greater number of such slugs.

It is still another object to provide a slug storage rack which retains the slugs securely in place as the storage arrangement is indexed to accommodate selection of prescribed slugs.

It is a further object to provide a slug storage rack arrangement which seats commodity information slugs for ready identification by the operator.

It is still a further object to provide a slug storage rack which facilitates easy and expeditious indexing to choose a prescribed slug.

It is yet a further object to provide a slug storage rack which facilitates columnar indentification of groups of commodity information slugs.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in accord 3,270,890 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 with the present invention by providing a rotatable, modular, turret rack for storing commodity information elements or slugs in readily accessible and easily indentifiable relationship. The rack comprises any selected number of modules, each of which seats a prescribed number of slugs in its periphery. The slugs are seated tangentially into each of the modules so that when the rack is rotated about its axis to index it for selection of a predetermined slug or slugs, centrifugal forces tend to retain the slugs firmly in the rack. The tangential arrangement of the slugs further makes them readily identifiable by the operator standing in front of the rack.

Any number of modules are mounted, one on top of the other, to accommodate any desirable number of insert elements in columnar orientation. The modules are retained between brackets which accommodate easy indexing of the turret rack and ready application of identifying indicia to each column of commodity information slugs carried by the rack.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, taken with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational View of a slug storage rack embodying features of the present invention, partially in section and with parts removed;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4.-4 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1, a commodity information slug storage rack embodying features of the present invention is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically at 10. The rack 10 is mounted for rotation about its axis 11 on a mounting assembly 12 which is, in turn, preferably attached to a vertically disposed mounting post 13 for pivotal movement thereabout on a pivot arm 14. The arm 14 is secured to the upper end of the post 13 'by a suitable pivot pin assembly 15 and the post 13 is preferably secured in upwardly extending relationship on a supporting stand (not shown), for the printer (not shown).

The rack 10 is adapted to store commodity information slugs 16 of the type illustrated in applicants copending application, Serial No. 419,942, filed December 21, 1964, and entitled Printing Device. The slugs 16, which form no specific part of the present invention, are elongated elements fabricated of sheet metal or the like. They are relatively narrow and thin compared to their length and have indicia 17 of a commodity type and/ or grade embossed thereon. The indicia 17 is embossed on the slugs 16 in such a manner that it is most easily read with the slugs resting in on-edge relationship in the rack 10, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The indicia 17 are preferably color-coded for identification in the rack 10, as hereinafter discussed in more detail.

The rack 10 is modular in construction so that it can readily be set up to seat virtually any desired number of slugs 16. The rack is rotatable about its vertical axis, as has been pointed out, to bring any selected slug 16 or slugs 16 stored in the rack into position for an operator to remove them. The slugs 16 are inserted into the rack 10 tangentially of its generally cylindrical periphery and the rack is rotated to bring that portion of its periphery carrying the desired slug or slugs into view. Centrifugal force acting upon the tangentially mounted slugs 16 causes them to seat firmly in the rack 10 as it is rotated.

The rack 10 comprises a stack of modules 20 mounted between a base 21 and a cover plate 22. Each of the mod ules 20 is identical in configuration and, accordingly, only one is described in detail here. Referring to FIG- URE 2, it will be seen that a module 20 comprises a generally circular slug ring 25 formed of molded plastic or the like. The ring 25 is actually a twelve-sided polygon comprised of twelve individual groove units 26 arranged substantially tangentially of the circle roughly described by the ring 25.

Each groove unit 26 comprises an inner wall 30 and an outer wall 31 joined by a floor 32. The outer Wall 31 of the groove unit 26 is irregular in configuration whereby its innermost section 35 forms a portion of the inner wall 30 on the adjoining groove unit 26. The outer sections 36 and 37 of the inner wall 30 and the outer wall 31, respectively, extend parallel to each other, however, and define an elongated groove 40 between them. In the present instance, the groove is approximately 0.200 inch wide and approximately 0.450 inch deep. As seen in FIGURE 3, each groove 40 has slightly diverging opposed inner surfaces to facilitate insertion of a commodity slug 16.

Each of the slug receiving groove units 26 is integral with bracketing groove units 26, of course, since the entire ring 25 is molded of plastic in one piece. It should be understood, however, that the slug ring 25 might alternatively be formed of a light cast metal or the like. Whatever the mode of manufacture, the construction and arrangement of the slug rings 25 embodying features of the present invention militate for simplicity and low cost as well as highly eflicient storage of commodity information slugs 16.

In the rack illustrated in FIGURE 1, twenty-five of these slug rings 25 are superimposed upon each other and retained between the base plate 21 and the cover plate 22 by tie-rod assemblies 45. There are three of these rod assemblies 45 and they extend through suitably disposed apertures 46 in the peripheries of each slug ring 25, spaced 120 from each other.

It will thus be seen that twelve vertically disposed columns of groove units 26 are provided in the rack 10 around its periphery and between the base plate 21 and the cover plate 22. Accordingly, three hundred commodity slugs 16 can be stored by the rack 10. A number of columns of these slugs 16 (or portions thereof) are illustrated in seated relationship and identified generally at 50, 51, and 52 in FIGURE 1.

Since in practice each column 50, 51, and 52, etc. of commodity slugs 16 is usually devoted to a specific type of commodity, or several types thereof, broad identification of the commodities by column is desirable. Both the base plate 21 and the cover plate 22 are constructed according to the present invention to facilitate columnar identification of the columns and easy indexing of the rack 10.

The base plate 21 is a generally circular pie-pan shaped element fabricated of nickel plated sheet metal. The plate 22 includes a generally circular base 55 having an upstanding scalloped wall 56 around its periphery. The wall 56 is scalloped so as to provide twelve segmentally cylindrical recessed areas 57 separated by twelve segmentally cylindrical extended areas 58. Each recessed area 57 underlies a column of slot units 26 in the slug rings 25.

retained between the cover plate 22 and the base plate 21. In these recessed areas 57, tabs 59 (see FIGURE 1) carrying indicia of the various commodities are secured by a suitable adhesive. Color-coding of these tabs 59 in accord with the color used in the embossed indicia 17 of the slugs 16, are hereinbefore referred to, is utilized to facilitate rapid identification of the columns in which various slugs 16 belong. I

The cover plate 22 is identical to the base plate 22, albeit inverted in assembled relationship, as illustrated. Accordingly, corresponding reference numerals are used to identify corresponding components of both plates 21 and 22.. Tabs 59 carrying color coded indicia of the various commodities are also preferably secured in the recessed areas 57 of the cover plate 22. Although both the cover plate 22 and base plate 21 are described as carrying tabs 59, however, they might be provided on only one or the other.

Both the cover plate 22 and the base plate 21 have apertures 60 spaced apart around the peroiphery of their bases 55 in registry with the apertures 46 formed in each of the slug rings 25.; A triangular support member 62 seats under the base 55 of the base plate 21, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, and has suitably formed apertures 61 extending through it in registry with the apertures 60. The rod assemblies 45 extend through corresponding apertures 46 in the slug rings, the apertures 60 in the base plate 21 and the cover plate 22, and the apertures 61 adjacent apioes of the support member 62.

Each rod assembly 45 includes an elongated rod 64 having a head 65 formed thereon which overlies a washer 66 seated against the bottom of the support member 62 in assembled relationship. A conventional nut 67 is threaded onto the externally threaded opopsite end of each rod 64- and drawn tightly against the cover plate 22 to secure the rings 25 tightly together in sandwiched relationship.

The mounting assembly 12 which supports the rack 10 for rotation about its axis 11 includes a circular bearing plate 70 which rests on a smaller circular bearing spacer 71. The spacer 71 is, in turn, seated on the outer end of the pivot arm 14 which. is, as hereinbefore pointed out, pivotally attached to the post 13.

Extending through the outer end 72 of the arm 14 and the spacer 71 are suitably formed apertures and an internally threaded mounting pin 80. A bolt 81 extends through a Washer 82 and is threaded into the lower end of the pin 80. A bolt extends through a suitably formed aperture 86 in the center of the base plate 21, a correspondingly positioned aperture 87 in the center of the support member 62, and an aperture 88 through the hearing plate 70, and is threaded into the upper end of the sleeve 80. The rack 10, including the support member 62, is thus mounted in bearing relationship for rotation on the bearing plate 70.

The scalloped wall 56 on the base plate 21 permits the operator to grip the periphery of the base plate 21 with a finger, for example, and rotate the rack 10 on its axis 11. In this manner the operator moves a selected column 50, 51, 52, etc., of slugs 16 into view and removes a predetermined slug or slugs for insertion into the printer (not shown). The operator could also grip the cover plate 22 in this manner, of course,

The operator rotates the rack 10 in either direction to select a prescribed column of slugs 16. As the rack 10 rotates, the slugs 16 are urged outwardly against the outer walls 31 of corresponding groove units 26 by centrifugal force. The slugs 16 are, accordingly, retained more firmly as the rack 10 rotates.

The rack. 10 illustrated has twenty-five slug rings 25 arranged in superimposed relationship and accommodates three hundred slugs 16, as has been pointed out. By mere ly varying the length of the rods 64, however, the number of slug rings 25 can be varied at will. Thus, with properly supported mounting facilitates, a hundred or more slug rings 25 might be superimposed upon each other. Twelve hundred or more slugs could be accommodated in such case. In contrast, where a minimal number of slugs is required, as few as ten such rings 25 might be satisfactory.

A storage rack for commodity information slugs 16 has been illustrated and described. It embodies numerous features and concomitant advantages which distinguish it dramatically from broadly similar devices.

The rack 10 is modular in construction. Accordingly, it can readily be adapted to a wide range of volume operations. Furthermore, adaptation is simple and inexpensive since the modules are one piece slug rings 25 identical in construction.

The rack is generally cylindrical and seats slugs 16 in columnar orientation, thus providing convenient divisions between commodity types. These columns 50, 51, 52, etc. are easily identified by indicia applied to the rack. Rotation of the rack 10 by the operator is uniformly simple and expeditious regardless of the position of the rack.

The rack 10 seats elongated, narrow, and thin slugs 16 in on-edge relationship so that they can readily be identified. The tangential orientation of the slugs 16 makes reading their identifying indicia 17 simple to an operator standing directly in front of the rack 19, as seen in FIG- URE 1. The operator is looking squarely at the indicia on each column (see column 51) as it rotates past.

As the rack 10 is rotated to bring the desired slugs 16 into position for removal and use, the tangential orientation of each slug 16 induces it to seat even more firmly in the rack. Accordingly, even violent indexing does not cause the slugs 16 to be thrown out of the rack 10.

While the embodiment described herein is at present considered to be preferred, it is understood that various modifications and improvements may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and improvements as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A storage rack for commodity information slugs, comprising: a generally cylindrical body mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, a plurality of grooves extending into said body for receiving the commodity information slugs and arranged in a series of tiers superimposed one on top of the other, the grooves in each of said tiers extending into said body substantially tangentially of a single circle inscribed in the corresponding tier about said axis, whereby rotation of said body about said axis tends to positively retain the slugs adapted to be seated in said grooves.

2. A storage rack for commodity information slugs or the like, comprising: a generally cylindrical body mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said body including a series of generally cylindrical modules superimposed one upon the other, each of said modules having a plurality of grooves extending into its periphery for receiving the commodity information slugs, each of said grooves extending into a corresponding module substantially tangentially of a circle inscribed in the module about said axis, whereby rotation of said body about said axis tends to positively retain the slugs adapted to be seated in said grooves.

3. The storage rack of claim 2 further characterized in that each of said modules is unitary in construction and identical to each other module, said modules being readily separable to facilitate the removal or addition of modules in the rack for increasing or decreasing its slug storage capacity.

4. A storage rack for commodity information slugs or the like, comprising: a generally cylindrical body mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said body including a series of generally cylindrical modules superimposed one upon the other, each of said modules having a plurality of grooves extending into its periphery for receiving the commodity information slugs, said modules being arranged so that said grooves extend in vertically aligned columns in said body, said modules being retained between means including plate means having regularly spaced indentations about its periphery aligned with each column, and identifying means for the commodity slugs in each column seated in said indentations.

5. The slug rack of claim 4 further characterized in that said plate means includes a base plate and a cover plate substantially identical to said base plate, said indentations providing means for an operator to grasp and index said rack about its axis.

6. The storage rack of claim 4 further characterized in that each of said grooves extend into a corresponding module substantially tangentially of a circle inscribed in the module about said axis, whereby the effect of centrifugal force caused by rotation of said body tends to positively retain the slugs adapted to be seated in said grooves.

7. A storage rack for commodity information slugs having elongated thin bodies and adapted to be stored on edge wherein identifying indicia are imprinted on their sides to facilitate identifying the slugs while stored on edge, comprising: a generally cylindrical body mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said body including a series of generally cylindrical modules superimposed one upon the other, each of said modules having a plurality of grooves extending into its periphery of receiving the commodity information slugs, each of said grooves extending into a corresponding module substantially tangentially of a circle inscribed in the module about said axis, whereby rotation of said body about said axis tends to positively retain the slugs adapted to be seated in said grooves and the indicia on slugs in each column of slugs is presented perpendicular to the line of sight of an operator standing in front of the rack as the column rotates past, each of said grooves including a floor and upstanding side walls spaced a predetermined short distance apart for supporting the slugs in on-edge relationship.

8. The storage rack of claim 7 further characterized in that each of said modules is unitary in construction and identical to each other module, said modules being readily separable to facilitate the removal or addition of modules in the rack for increasing or decreasing its slug storage capacity.

9. In a storage rack for commodity information slugs or the like, a flat storage module of integral construction, comprising: a generally circular slug retainer ring, said ring including a plurality of horizontally elongated groove sections disposed generally end-to-end, each of said groove sections having a vertically extending slug retainer groove defined therein between upstanding side walls, the major axis of each of said grooves forming a tangent of a single circle inscribed in the ring about its axis, each of said grooves having a closed inner end and an open outer end.

10. The storage module of claim 9 further characterized in that the closed inner end of each of said grooves is defined by one of the upstanding side walls of an adjacent groove section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,230,234 6/1917 Stecher 211-58 1,432,286 10/ 1922 Goldberg 2115 8 2,493,538 1/1950 Kams 211129 2,749,198 6/ 1956 Berber 312-252 3,161,294 12/ 1964 Meuche 21l41 FOREIGN PATENTS 681,895 10/ 1939 Germany.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A STORAGE RACK FOR COMMODITY INFORMATION SLUGS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING: A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL BODY MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS, SAID BODY INCLUDING A SERIES OF GENRALLY CYLINDRICAL MODULES SUPERIMPOSED ONE UPON THE OTHER, EACH OF SAID MODULES HAVING A PLURALITY OF GROOVES EXTENDING INTO ITS PERIPHERY FOR RECEIVING THE COMMODITY INFORMATION SLUGS, EACH OF SAID GROOVES EXTENDING INTO A CORRESPONDING MODULE SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENTIALLY OF A CIRCLE INSCRIBED IN THE 